Category: Devotions

On Shaky Ground

 

"The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: "Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?"  Isaiah 33:4

 

Good afternoon! 

 

What happens to buildings with cracked foundations?  What happens to buildings made of poor materials during an earthquake?  What happens to unstable shacks during a tsunami?  They all fall down like the little kid's song.  Nothing built on a foundation of poor faith, a relationship without love, a person without God's guidance…it all will fail.  That's no threat, a guarantee.  The Israelites were not redeemed until they acknowledged that without God they were nothing.  It's like Jesus says here in Matthew 15:14 "Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit."  Its like the blind leading the blind, it will fall.

 

"Then panic struck the whole army–those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties–and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God."  1 Samuel 14:15

 

In Acts 16:26 when Paul and Silas were in jail, God caused an earthquake to come and shake loose the doors of the prison.  They were jailed for preaching the Gospel to the Romans.  But because jailing them was not what God wanted, was not in God's will for them, He caused the weak foundations to be broken and them to be set free.  The jailer came and fell at their feet, asking them what he needed to do to be saved in Acts 16:30.  After the jailer cared for them, and he and his whole family were saved, Paul and Silas were freed the next morning to continue doing God's work. 

 

So if there is anything you value in your life not rooted and grounded in God–faith in His word, walking in His love, and spreading the Good News, rest assured it will crumble.

 

"Listen to me and make up your minds to honor my name," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "or I will bring a terrible curse against you. I will curse even the blessings you receive. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you have not taken my warning to heart."  Malachi 2:2

Get Understanding

 

"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."  Proverbs 4:7

 

God has His way of making you do what He says.  I wasn't even gonna write another devotion; I was gonna prepare my first notes for my first online bible study.  But Lord says write this for everybody. 

 

The saying "Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see" is wrong.  See, what its supposed to say is, " Listen to what you hear, acknowledge what you see, and seek God for the wisdom to understand what you need to keep and what needs to be thrown away."  –I'm gonna have to copyright that one if I do say so myself, going into the file, lol.  But anyway, this is so true.  We cannot be too apt to apply the word to our lives without first understanding why it was written.  The same scripture above in  the New Living Translation says:  "Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment."  And also from the Contemporary English Version: "The best thing about Wisdom is Wisdom herself; good sense is more important than anything else." Amplified: "The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation).^"

During my senior year in high school, me, my mom and brothers were reading through the Bible.  I of course always wanted to read ahead because the Bible was like a big story to me.  I loved reading and God has always fascinated me.  We were reading in the Old Testament when God was giving instruction on what was right to be eaten, and what was not.  I read that we are not supposed to eat pork!  I was absolutely blown away.  Because if anybody knew me, I loved me some ham!  Nothing like it!  Plus that old country bacon…Satan!!  Anyway, I decided that I would no longer eat it right then and there–but of course at some point I went back to eating it–I told my mom, "The Bible says we are not supposed to eat pork, so I'm gonna stop eating it."  Her reply was something along the lines of that it was no longer a sin, I can't remember the exact words.  But my spiritually young mind went on; I told everybody at school that I was close to that we were not supposed to eat pork.  Fast forward to only a month or so ago, when I found the scripture for my linesister: Matthew 15:11 "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'"  But after staying with my cousin in California and not eating it for about 6 weeks before junior year, I stopped eating it anyway.  I then went to church and learn of the demons called Legion that were cast into pigs–THIS is why I will never eat pork again, I don't want demon possessed food!

 

The moral of that story is, you cannot just take what someone says, you read or hear without seeking understanding.  Ms. Sylvia, I have to thank you for that one, because only God can give you the understanding you should have–what He wants you to have.  Understanding–discernment, insight, clarity–come from communion with God.  Don't accept part of the story; get the whole thing.  Pray to God for wisdom, because in James 1:5 "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."  He will gladly give you wisdom; He will make your paths straight! (Proverbs 3:6)  In Philippians 3:15 Paul says that God will make it clear to you–"Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you." 

 

Quite frankly, I believe that you can be the most knowledgeable dumb person in the world, knowing so much but not understanding any of it.  I am pretty sure that is how cults get started, some people take what one human person says as law–because its in the Bible–and believes everything they say without question.  Seek God, question some things–better yet, yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit within you, verify what someone says by God's definition!  I don't listen to one particular person, but I consult the knowledge of many–seeking wise, mature counsel, then pray throughout and afterwards for what God wants me to know.  That's the only way to go folks!!  Good night and get wisdom!!  Those are the kinds of gray hairs you REALLY want.

 

"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy."  James 3:17